Powerpoint presentations on information processing a case study of G.S. St Michel Epa

Abstract

Information overload experienced in the information society requires improving human information processing. For centuries this has been focus of research to policy makers, information specialists, educators and researchers who seek for information with empirical evidence to guide decision making or make a basis for further studies. This research contributed to such a quest by investigating the contributions of multimedia through PowerPoint presentations on information processing. The research tried to bring out the contributions of PowerPoint presentation on content recall, audience interaction and attitudes towards PowerPoint presentation in communication by comparing two communication strategies. The research was conducted on Students in a classroom learning environment at GSS EPA, in Nyarugenge district, Kigali city province, Rwanda. A total population of 330 senior one students was involved and a sample size of 180 students selected based on Slovin’s formula. Through a completely randomized experimental pretest-posttest design, the samplewas randomly assigned to three groups: The first group (G1) was the control group while group 2(G2) and group 3 (G3) experimental groups. G1was exposed to only talk-and-chalk, G2 to talk-and-chalk followed by PowerPoint presentation and finally G3 was exposed only to PowerPoint presentations. Questionnaires, observers and test questions were used in data collection and one way analysis of variance and independent sample t-test used to analyze the data. PowerPoint presentation was found to positively influence participant’s group interaction and attitude towards the presentation. While it did not significantly influence retention of information on short term memory, it improved transfer of information to long term memory for uses such as those requiring procedural knowledge.